Keyboard care: Don't eat, drink or smoke around computers

Dear Heloise: I read your article about using your left hand to operate the computer mouse and leaving your right hand to do other things. I had to use my left hand for years because of the way I built my computer area.

The main thing about computers is not to eat or drink (and if you smoke, don't) when operating your computer. Computer repairmen love for people to do just that.

I use to work on PC and mainframe computers. One time I had to clean up a keyboard that someone had spilled a cola on. It was a sticky mess, but I was able to save the keyboard. Not everyone is that lucky, and many will have to replace the keyboard. -- Rudy, Via E-mail

You are right, Rudy. It's amazing, the amount of gunk that can end up in a keyboard!

We have found it's easy and helpful to clean the keyboard with an alcohol wipe. The alcohol removes the grime and doesn't leave a residue, since it evaporates quickly. -- Heloise

CASTING CALL

Dear Heloise: Recently, I broke my ankle and had to be in a cast for a month. I came up with some hints that might help others in similar situations:

Use the long plastic bags that come with your newspaper to put over your cast and a rubber band to keep them in place when you want to take a bath without getting the cast wet.

Put a crutch across the bathtub to rest your plastic-covered cast while you enjoy your bubble bath.

Sew or pin shoulder pads around the handles and the armpit rests of the crutches to make them easier and softer to hold and lean on. -- Tammy Hilton, McLean, Va.

EASY SALT POURING

Dear Heloise: I buy salt in bulk, which is very cheap and lasts for years.

Recently, I found that the salt stores very well in those plastic sports-drink bottles. It pours easily into spoons, salt shakers, etc.

I guess it would work for pepper, also. Make sure the bottle is dry before filling. -- F.A.P., Placentia, Calif.

DON'T BE A HEEL

Dear Heloise: Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover corn bread, use them to make bread crumbs. For later use, store them in the freezer. -- M. Terry, Ellicott City, Md.